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Shloka 45

Arjuna’s Advance toward Bhīṣma; The Gāṇḍīva’s Signal and the Armies’ Convergence (भीष्माभिमुखगमनम् — गाण्डीवनिर्घोष-ध्वजवर्णनम्)

युद्धमें आते ही उन्होंने अपने बाणोंसे भीमसेनको अदृश्य कर दिया, मानो सूर्य बादलोंसे ढक गये हों ।।

abhimanyumukhās tat tu nāmṛṣyanta mahārathāḥ | bhīmasyācchādanaṃ saṅkhye svabāhubalam āśritāḥ ||

সঞ্জয় বললেন—অভিমন্যু-প্রমুখ মহারথীরা যুদ্ধক্ষেত্রে ভীমসেনকে এভাবে শরবৃষ্টিতে আচ্ছন্ন হতে সহ্য করতে পারলেন না। নিজেদের বাহুবলের উপর নির্ভর করে তাঁরা চারদিক থেকে তীরবর্ষণ করে ভগদত্তকে ঘিরে রোধ করলেন; আর সেই একই শরবৃষ্টিতে তাঁর হাতিটিকেও সর্বদিক থেকে বিদ্ধ করলেন।

abhimanyu-mukhāḥhaving Abhimanyu at the forefront (i.e., led by Abhimanyu)
abhimanyu-mukhāḥ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootabhimanyu-mukha
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
tatthat (act/thing)
tat:
Karma
TypePronoun
Roottad
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
tubut/indeed
tu:
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu
nanot
na:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna
amṛṣyantathey did not endure/tolerate
amṛṣyanta:
TypeVerb
Rootmṛṣ
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
mahā-rathāḥgreat chariot-warriors
mahā-rathāḥ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootmahāratha
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
bhīmasyaof Bhīma
bhīmasya:
TypeNoun
Rootbhīma
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
ācchādanamcovering/veiling
ācchādanam:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootācchādana
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
saṅkhyein battle
saṅkhye:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootsaṅkhya
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
sva-bāhu-balamtheir own arm-strength
sva-bāhu-balam:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootsvabāhubala
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
āśritāḥhaving resorted to / relying on
āśritāḥ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootā-śri
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, kta (past passive participle)

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
Abhimanyu
B
Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
B
Bhagadatta
E
Elephant (Bhagadatta’s war-elephant)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: when a comrade is overwhelmed, warriors are expected to respond decisively, relying on courage and skill to protect allies and restore balance in combat.

Bhīma is being heavily covered by enemy arrows; Abhimanyu and other elite fighters cannot bear it, so they counterattack Bhagadatta from all sides with a dense arrow-shower, even striking and piercing his elephant.